Since January 27, Malian teacher-researchers have been on strike to demand the payment of the research bonuses, established in 2017 but not paid.
The strike is disrupting universities and affecting the academic calendar, while unions are
calling for a rapid resolution of the conflict.
Malian universities are currently paralyzed by a strike by teacher-researchers, initiated on January 27 and scheduled to continue until February 8. This mobilisation is at the initiative of the Coordination of Higher Education and Scientific Research Unions (CSEC), bringing together the National Union of Higher Education (SNESUP) and the Union of Higher Education and Scientific Research (SECMA).
At the heart of the demands is the payment of the research bonus, established by Decree No. 2017-0850/P-RM in 2017, but whose payments have not been made since then. The teacher-researchers are demanding that this bonus be paid retroactively, stressing its importance in supporting their research activities.
According to union sources, the strike is widely supported in the country’s main universities, particularly in Bamako and Ségou. Classes are suspended and university campuses are operating at a slow pace.
The unions have not provided precise figures on the participation rate, but believe that the mobilisation is significant.
Talks took place between union representatives and the Ministers of Higher Education and Labor before the strike began. However, these meetings did not lead to common ground. The unions denounce “bad will” on the part of the transitional government and regret the lack of concrete proposals to resolve the situation.
The unions report having been pressured by the authorities, forcing them to cancel a press conference planned before the strike began.
Despite these obstacles, the determination of the teacher-researchers remains resolute and they call on their members to observe the strike in a calm and vigilant manner.
This strike comes at a time when the Malian education system is already facing many challenges. Students find themselves deprived of classes, which could disrupt the academic calendar. The
teacher-researchers insist that the research bonus is essential not only to improve their living conditions, but also to guarantee the quality and continuity of research work in Mali.
The National Federation of Parents’ and Students’ Associations of Mali expresses its concern about this situation and calls on both parties to find a compromise quickly.
The future of students and the reputation of the Malian university system depend on the resolution of this problem.
MD/ac/fss/as/APA